Monday, March 30, 2015

8L: A reminder for tomorrow's trip to the Toyota manufacturing plant: students need to bring a lunch (there is no place to buy food), warm clothing (we may be eating outside), and their best behaviour.   As well, we will be returning to school BEFORE the busses, so everyone will be coming home on time.  Finally, we will be doing a reflection on Career Cruising after the tour, and the topic will pertain to automation: we are going to see a vehicle assembly plant, and I would like students to make observations and draw conclusions about the balance between jobs being done by humans and jobs being done by machines (please, no "Terminator" references). Here are some prompting questions:
-which roles are now done by humans, and will there be further automation in the near future?
-why automate? What are the advantages? The disadvantages?
-which roles will always be human-directed?
-when considering your own future employment, is there already some automation in place?  Will there be more to come?  

8 ENGLISH: 
Essay will take place this Thursday.  Students will need their novels (chock-full of sticky notes), a couple of decent pens, and any healthy refreshments.  I gave the rubric out today, and I bet it would be a bunch of fun to discuss it over dinner.  

As well, these are the essay topics students need to prepare for:
1. Jonas fits in/does not fit in
2. Jonas' society is a dystopia
3. Ignorance is bliss
4. What is the theme of the novel
5. The Giver is a bildungsroman
6. The Giver is a cautionary tale

8 Math: Seeing as I taught the wrong lesson today, there is no homework.  Sigh...


7 ENGLISH: I handed back the framework "Things are Rough All Over" with comments.  Afterwards, I gave the class some general tips regarding this particular essay topic.  It's very important that students read the feedback carefully, and make any necessary changes.  The grade 7 in-class essay will take place next week.  The rest of the frameworks are due this Thursday.

7 MATH: Did not have math today.  However I did teach a riveting grade 7 math lesson to the grade 8s.

Friday, March 27, 2015

To all 8L parents: the bus to the Toyota plant will be leaving at 7:30 a.m. sharp on Tuesday.  Make sure that your child is here at least 10 minutes early.  Thanks, and have a great weekend.

Tuesday, March 24th, 2015

A little coupon you can print out and redeem.  You're welcome!

8

Math: 4.6 homework

English: complete the two frameworks for Monday: "Bildungsroman" and "Theme" of the Giver.  Today's lesson was called: "So, you want level 4 on the essay?" Ask your child to articulate their learning.

7
Math: 4.5
English: it's important that your child is VERY familiar with the novel the Outsiders.  As such, in preparation for the essay, your child should be re-reading it, adding sticky notes (marking significant passages) and re-reading their frameworks.  This should be done on a nightly basis.

Tuesday, March 24th, 2015

A little coupon you can print out and redeem.  You're welcome!

To the parents who will be supervising the trip to the Toyota manufacturing plant, please remember to book off next Tuesday!  If there are parents who would now like to join us, please let Mr. Mizrahi (jordan.mizrahi@yrdsb.ca) know as we could definitely use one or two additional parents.  Thank you.

8

Math: 4.6 homework

English: complete the two frameworks for Monday: "Bildungsroman" and "Theme" of the Giver.  Today's lesson was called: "So, you want level 4 on the essay?" Ask your child to articulate their learning.

7
Math: 4.5
English: it's important that your child is VERY familiar with the novel the Outsiders.  As such, in preparation for the essay, your child should be re-reading it, adding sticky notes (marking significant passages) and re-reading their frameworks.  This should be done on a nightly basis.

Tuesday, March 24th, 2015

A little coupon you can print out and redeem.  You're welcome!

To the parents who will be supervising the trip to the Toyota manufacturing plant, please remember to book off next Tuesday!  If there are parents who would now like to join us, please let Mr. Mizrahi (jordan.mizrahi@yrdsb.ca) know as we could definitely use one or two additional parents.  Thank you.

8

Math: 4.6 homework

English: complete the two frameworks for Monday: "Bildungsroman" and "Theme" of the Giver.  Today's lesson was called: "So, you want level 4 on the essay?" Ask your child to articulate their learning.

7
Math: 4.5 #1,2,6,7,8,9,10
English: it's important that your child is VERY familiar with the novel the Outsiders.  As such, in preparation for the essay, your child should be re-reading it, adding sticky notes (marking significant passages) and re-reading their frameworks.  This should be done on a nightly basis.

Monday, March 23rd, 2015

Where is this in our classroom?

Welcome back from the break!  Back to work.  Yay.

8: Math: 4.5 (p. 153) 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10.

8: English: keep working on those frameworks.  The in-class essay will likely take place next week (later part).  For next Monday, you will have to hand in two frameworks: "Bildungsroman" and "Theme of the Giver"

7 Math: 4.4 only use a model for questions #1 and 4!  Do questions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13.

7 English: keep working on those frameworks!  The in-class essay will likely take place next week (later part).

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Ice Cream 

Delight in two colours 

By ice cream man. 

Say pink and white. 

But pink has never seen a strawberry 

And white never seen a cow. 

Delia says both, 

And melting pink and white drop into her lap.

-Julia Ward

Have a most enjoyable break 8L and 7F!  No homework at all.  If you want to work ahead on your frameworks, be my guest, but it is not an expectation.

7 The 2.4-2.5 Math test on rates came home today.  

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

8 Housekeeping: still missing one Toyota form...

ENGLISH: "Cautionary Tale" framework is due Thursday.  The class worked extremely well today.

MATH: 4.2 is homework tonight.

7 

ENGLISH: "Things are Rough All Over" framework is due THURSDAY. I want to give back the "Dally - Tragic Hero" framework first so students can make changes to successive frameworks (if necessary).

MATH: 4.2 

Monday, March 9, 2015

What is it?

8  Housekeeping: Don't forget those Toyota Plant permission forms!

English: Collected the 1st completed framework today: "Shreds of humanity."  New framework: "The Giver is a cautionary tale." due Wednesday.

Math: Test 2.4 - 2.5 is coming home today.  Extremely successful: 8L has a strong grasp of ratios and rates.  For homework, 4.1 (comparing and ordering fractions).  Video review of comparing fractions: here (not mine)

7

7  English: we should have finished a paragraph about Dally being a tragic hero.  New framework due Wednesday: "Gangs provide a sense of family. Discuss."

Math: Began 4.1 today (homework).  Video review of comparing fractions: here (not mine)

Firday, March 6, 2015

8  

HOUSEKEEPING: 2 forms went home: Toyota plant permission form and the dance-a-thon.  Please read them through this weekend while you get a moment to sit on the couch with your coffee (ahhhh....)

MATH: Test 2.1 - 2.3 test went home today.  There are three grades, so look through it carefully.  As well, I stapled a "perfect" answer for one of the questions showing the class what I expect in terms of estimation and verification skills (from now on a must!).  

ENGLISH: Framework for Shreds of Humanity due Monday.  I will be collecting it.  A few pointers to keep in mind:

1. No context or commentary required

2. It's short: don't write long-winded sentences at this point.  For a quote, just write the first three words and the page number

3. Don't forget to make a reference back to the thesis (topic sentence and concluding sentence).  I am less concerned about repetition, and more concerned about building an argument.
4. For the parting thought, add one sentence to "seal the deal" - something that hasn't been brought up thus far.  You might consider a cause/effect statement (what is the result of the failure to suppress humanity's darkest traits?).  DO NOT LEAVE THE READER WITH A CHEESY QUESTION!  e.g. "Now that it has been established that there are still shreds of humanity in the members of the community, do you think you have any shreds in yourself?"  Ugh...

7

MATH: 2.4-2.5 test done!  No homework.

ENGLISH: Dally as a tragic hero framework due Monday.  I will be collecting it.  A few pointers to keep in mind:

1. No context or commentary required

2. It's short: don't write long-winded sentences at this point.  For a quote, just write the first three words and the page number

3. Don't forget to make a reference back to the thesis (topic sentence and concluding sentence).  I am less concerned about repetition, and more concerned about building an argument.
4. For the parting thought, add one sentence to "seal the deal" - something that hasn't been brought up thus far.  You might consider a cause/effect statement (How does Dally being a tragic hero have an impact on the other characters?).  DO NOT LEAVE THE READER WITH A CHEESY QUESTION!  e.g. "Now that it has been established that Dally is in fact a tragic hero, how is he like/unlike Darth Vader - another tragic hero?"  Ugh...

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

8

MATH: 2.5 for tomorrow.  We will be doing a test on Friday for 2.4 and 2.5.

ENGLISH: we finished paragraph B today and in groups, they worked on paragraph C.  I would like them to complete the framework for "Shreds of Humanity" essay for MONDAY (this will be handed).    


7

MATH: Mid-Unit Review: p. 70 #6, 7, 8, 9.  Test on Friday for 2.4 and 2.5.

ENGLISH: we just about finished paragraph A of "Dally Tragic Hero" essay.  Tonight I would like students to add the plan to paragraph A for tomorrow.

Monday, March 2nd, 2015

ELECTIVE DAY TOMORROW!  Students must be at school by 7:00 a.m., ready to depart with all of their belongings.  Please ensure you are at the school waiting to pick up your child at 4:00 p.m.

Quebec payments were due last Friday...

8 

Math: 2.4 due Wednesday


English: Finish the third idea (discomfort around Rosemary's release) within the "insecurity" paragraph.  Due Wednesday.



7 

Math: 2.5 due Wednesday

English